Health care facilities: notification of next of kin.

Legislative status

1. Introduced
2. In Committee
3. Reported by Committee
4. Floor Vote Scheduled
5. Passed One Chamber
6. Passed Both Chambers
7. Sent to Executive
8. Enacted

Summary

The bill obligates general acute‑care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and residential care homes for the elderly to make a documented, good‑faith effort within 72 hours to contact any known next of kin when a patient dies or when a body is transferred to the facility. If they cannot locate next of kin after that effort, they must inform the county public administrator within 48 hours. Failure to meet these notice requirements triggers a civil penalty of $200 per day, up to $50,000, assessed by the appropriate state department.

AI-generated summary — may be incomplete or inaccurate. Verify against the official bill text.

Vote

Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6881.). · Aug 30, 2026

Hearings

• Appropriations Committee Hearing
  Appropriations · Aug 13, 2026
• Appropriations Committee Hearing
  Appropriations · Aug 3, 2026
• Judiciary Committee Hearing
  Judiciary · Jun 30, 2026
• Health Committee Hearing
  Health · Jun 24, 2026
• Appropriations Committee Hearing
  Appropriations · May 14, 2026

History

1. May 28, 2026In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2. May 27, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0.)
3. May 18, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
4. May 14, 2026From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 14).
5. May 6, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
6. Apr 22, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
7. Apr 22, 2026Coauthors revised.
8. Apr 13, 2026Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
9. Apr 9, 2026Read second time and amended.
10. Apr 8, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 7).
11. Mar 18, 2026In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
12. Mar 9, 2026Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and JUD.

The 12 most recent of 14 recorded actions.

Sponsors

• Maggy Krell (D) · sponsor
• Aguiar-Curry
• Kalra
• Krell
• Stefani

Bill text

Opens the legislature’s own copy.

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